With the goals of ensuring water supply and preserving groundwater resources, Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company (OWWSC) — a member of Nama Group, inaugurated yesterday the water transmission pipeline project linking Suhar with Ibri in Al Dhahirah Governorate.
Dr Said bin Mohammed al Saqri, Minister of Economy, presided over the inauguration of the project, which was built at a cost of around RO 150 million.
In his opening speech, Qais bin Saud al Zakwani, CEO OWWSC, pointed the importance of this vital project which aims to ensure water security for Al Dhahirah Governorate. The current and future water needs of all the wilayats of Al Dhahirah Governorate was taken into account during the designing of the project and to achieve water security in light of the expansion of networks and the growth of water demand, including commercial and industrial needs. The wilayats of Al Dhahirah Governorate were mainly dependent on groundwater to meet their drinking water needs and other developmental activities.
“The Suhar — Al Buraimi — Ibri route is the most feasible in terms of construction and operation, technically and economically, so that this route will be used to meet the future water needs of Al Buraimi Governorate as well, by linking the two water transmission systems together in several locations within the project of water interconnection between North Al Batinah, Al Buraimi and Al Dhahirah Governorates,” al Zakwani said.
Najeeb bin Ali al Rawas, Governor of Al Dhahirah Governorate, said that the water supply project for Al Dhahirah Governorate is one of the most important strategic projects that will achieve sustainable development in the governorate and will meet all current and future water needs and requirements in all development fields to serve population expansion.
“The project aims to enhance water security in Al Dhahirah Governorate and preserve the groundwater (Al-Masarat wells) as a strategic reserve, explaining that the OWWSC will gradually connect the water network to residential schemes that were not previously served by water service provider, expanding the internal network to include most of the villages in the province's wilayats,” Al Rawas said.
“The Al Dhahirah Governorate's water security strategy include the exploitation of water such as wastewater and the possibility of expanding the construction of storage dams in various wilayats, in addition to planting local trees that withstand high temperatures and water scarcity, finding ways and using modern technologies to rationalize water consumption,” he added.
The project includes a water transmission line from the desalination plant in the Wilayat of Suhar, North Al Batinah Governorate to Al Dhahirah Governorate, with a total length of about 230 kilometers, in addition to the construction of 15 tanks with a storage capacity of 451,000 cubic meters in each of the Suhar, Ibri and Dhank, in addition to the construction of 4 pumping stations with a maximum capacity of 144,000 cubic meters per day and a pipeline with a path parallel to the path of the current water carrier line from Suhar to Al Buraimi Governorate.
For the first time, the OWWSC used iron tanks in water transfer projects in Oman and used the best health standards and international systems for water sterilisation using sodium hypochloride — known for its safety for humans and the environment. The company is also keen to ensure that all operational processes of the sprawling project are managed from one room — the main control and monitoring through the National Control Centre in Muscat Governorate.
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